Psychology, critical thinking, skepticism, atheism

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My time machine worked!

Excellent news! The time machine that I built yesterday, September 9th 2012, has worked! Here I am in the “future” of October 28th. I wonder whether I will be able to blend in? I hope so: the world of the future (late October) seems very similar to my world (early September). Whilst my science-fiction-like escapade promises immense breakthroughs for the world of physics, there is a downside. I was not able to write anything for this blog in the period that passed slowly for you but passed in a subjective instant for me. I hope to remedy this soon.

Not buying it, huh? OK, I’ll come clean. I started writing this blog over summer, when I wasn’t busy with work, thinking that I could build up enough momentum to keep me going when teaching started. I was naive. First, there was a conference submission deadline. I had to devote some time to data analysis and write a couple of abstracts for the Society for Research in Child Development conference. Then I had a grant deadline. Then I had a pile of grading come in. All typical, run-of-the-mill stuff, I know. Although I did still have some free time, it was all consumed by practicing my guitar and bass for a gig that happened last weekend for a friend’s 50th birthday. I played as a member of four different acts throughout the day, mostly performing covers. In order to prepare for this event, I had to rehearse with all the different people, as well as practicing at home on the evenings when I wasn’t lugging gear round to group rehearsals.

For Act #1 I played guitar on two original compositions (by the singer/other-guitarist) and Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. For Act #2 I played guitar on Neil Young’s Rockin’ In The Free World, The Foo Fighters’ Learn To Fly, Pink Floyd’s Breathe and Time (I’m really chuffed that I (mostly) nailed David Gilmour’s solo in that one!), and Radiohead’s Creep. For Act #3 I played bass on Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing and Purple Haze. For Act #4 I played bass with semi-professional artist Noah Earle on three of his songs, including Caravan Days and Lose You In A Crowd, which you can hear on Noah’s myspace page.

Other notable events in the past few weeks include speaking to the Illinois State University Secular Student Alliance about atheism and feminism, watching Big Bang Theory for the first time, and seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse play in Chicago!